There are one or two interesting stories this morning. Adam Smith hints at an additional two days before (tax) Freedom Day, yet some politician suggests a 10% ‘donation’ to ‘charity’ every time you use a cash-machine.
I thought the cash implied at point one was a ‘charity’, you know, for folk unable (for whatever reason) to earn their own living…including the folk making the suggestions!

But on a lighter note I see from my windows (glass-tax once!!) that the frosty weather has thawed…
Surely, therein, is a far more simple yet beneficial cure to the present woes of the public finances…let the cash fructify…

For short sessions I don’t mind the rock and roll music of Sir Elton John but there’s something about his present ‘tune’ that really jars the mind as you read it.
Some things, perhaps, should be done quietly, they are not for everyone, even in this age of enlightenment.

Mmmm….airports may be fined if they can’t ‘deliver’ services – even, it seems, in winter when the weather is bad!
What price a ticket then eh? If anyone bothers to sell one that is! Jamie Oliver pulled more with a simple ‘cook-book’ so why have all that hassle with damned aeroplanes – and as for J.K.R.???

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Strangely, TV advertising bade me delve for a bit of info’ lately. It’s not ‘beyond the realms’ anymore it seems and initial enquiries have confirmed this. A ‘business expense’ too, so it’s always feasible. It may be of future benefit to those with fairly well-established websites – I mean why shove it into the black hole of certain oblivion – it’s earned hardly!
😉

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Steph at the beeb draws graphical pictures again…and is featured on their ‘business’ boards!
Writing is one thing. Doing is entirely another!
🙂

November’s public borrowing was around £24,000,000,000.00p!
What are those nice politicians doing that is so wrong eh? And where are ‘The Cuts’? I keep waiting for them but things just seem to carry-on regardless…
🙂
There’s a bit of whingeing too about the sheer numbers of big supermarkets as they ever increase their shop-counts. There are umpteen pro’s and con’s about all this – jobs for folk and cheap food etc., but smaller, Private ‘shops’ simply can’t compete.
Meself I like to see shops that have an owner as their boss.

Mind you there are shops and shops. I read today that tomorrow’s sales figures may reach, and indeed top £14,000.00p a second! Now, that’s my kind of shop!
Then again Turnover figures always look good. But it’s Profit that counts. Sadly even some of the big-boys can’t make one of those at the moment…
😉

We nearing the Gregorian year-end once again and, once again, are well trapped within nature’s icy grasp.
Talking of ‘Icy Grasps’ I see that Toyota and BAE have both been heavily fined for, erm, doing things wrong?
Flintshire Council has, apparently, overpaid some of its staff by about £330,000.00p over the past few years and is (meekly, I believe) asking for it back – replies (I believe again) are not too meek! Could this council be fined for doing something wrong? Don’t hold your breath eh?
It’ll be a few more months before the end of the ‘business’ year and the revelations that that occurance may reveal…how many will then ask themselves…
Why bother?
😉

Virtually all of the country is in winter’s icy grip. Here’s a pic taken locally a day or two ago. Cold eh?
It really is cold out there folks!
Aircraft can’t fly, parcels can’t get through and the place seems to be in a hell of a debt mess.
What can be done?

Hey! Not my problems! Neither, are they yours!

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But I read that certain banks are ear-marking a billion pounds for ‘bonuses’ again. (Good heavens, how do these paye folk manage on so little?)
And therein we can see why governments don’t care either way.

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Have you seen the sheer size of say a Jumbo Jet?
And the sheer power of a few snowflakes?
😉

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And, some say, mortgage rates may rise ‘sixfold’ next year. Don’t take too much notice of such ‘scaremongering’ hype.
But be aware that ten or fifteen years ago several of us advised then to ‘lose’ the mortgage in order to play safe…and, possibly, buy gold…

There’s a bit of whingeing about either a German or Dutch Private Company taking-over The Royal Mail. (Buying it).
The problem is about whether The Queens image will remain on stamps.
?
Some problem eh?
Mmmm…I see some kind of ‘image rental’ fee blowing the ‘Private Company’ status right out of the water….but who am I?
Despite what some folk think, you can’t have a ‘part-privatised’ company.

You have to be one or the other.
Which puts the status of many banks into context.

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Apparently, while attempting to drive home in arctic conditions, a tall member of the top gear tv programme presentation team, was forced to abandon his Subaru Impreza WRX and cadge a lift in someones 4×4!

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Rent a stall in most local markets and you’ll be amid umpteen similar renters all trying to get small retail businesses off the ground.
Many don’t survive for long – the costs, these days, of even the most miniscule business, are astronomic.
But, one thing is assured within those local markets, traders are competing across a pretty level playing field – rents are pro-rata to space booked; you all pay the same.
Indeed the one, cardinal, rule of business is that a person trades fairly with others. There are really no other ‘Business’ rules. (Everything else is to do with ‘tax’.)
So it is a bit disenchanting perhaps to read of certain massive retail businesses enjoying mega tax-breaks because of head-office location.
This scenario is perfectly legal and, on the face of it, I too could, and indeed should, avail myself of the same money-saving schemes.
But, in reality, can I do this as a very small business?
The answer is: not really. The cost of off-shore offices would outweigh the savings…
So, when compared to many small traders in GB, operating in such a fashion, although perfectly sound and legal, does slope the playing-field somewhat into the big-business direction. What price a ‘tea-shirt’ if all were paying 25% (or even 40%) tax on any profit! Indeed, what price then an office abroad?
So today I read of ‘protesters’ protesting about large companies ‘avoiding’ tax and, for the above reason(s) I have to agree. But, rather than protest about any company, in any way, surely these folk could channel their energies into at least ‘having a go’ at simple business for themselves. Who knows, one day some of them might actually benefit from ‘off-shore’ tax-rules then!
🙂

A quick giggle in the Mail right away – the local government association is going ahead with a £120,000.00p per year non-job – something to do with ‘spin’, whatever that is, but don’t bother just cutting that stupid job, just get rid of the whole l.g.a. quango – the gaffer of it is on £300,000.00p plus per year! His deputy about half that! Talk about waste eh?

That nice Mr Cameron expects a pat on the back for keeping our eu payment down. He sounds like a tv advert, you know, ‘buy our car insurance and save!’
In the marketing world this angle is well past it!* (See below)
As is eu credence, so better if we had no payment at all eh?
I mean, who is van rumpoy?
😉
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*This, is ‘Marketing’ – with a flourish!

The book is currently No.6 in W.H. Smith’s bestseller list! Folk are queuing-up to buy it at a cool £9.99p.
If only Messers von Rumpoy and Cameron could do this!
🙂

Despite the weather predictions it’s quite nice here this morning with no cloud, no wind and full sunshine although it is very cold.

The massive and swingeing ‘cuts’ are evident this morning as one or two lollipop ladies and/or gentlemen have packed the job in due to ‘disagreements’ with their council bosses. (Mail) Mega public savings there folks!

Fuel, for vehicles, is costing motorists over £8,000,000.00p per day more than it did one year ago!
Yet the British public motor on oblivious…
…mind you, the eu costs (basic) about £45,000,000.00p per day, so what’s another £8,000,000.00p down the drain anyway?

There are reports, today, of Internet Mail-Order firms cancelling orders due to the bad weather. (Monies are being refunded! It’s not a rip-off in that respect!)
In many cases this is not the fault of the mail-order firm as many use contractors for deliveries; indeed, who can blame a delivery contractor for being unable to deliver if the roads are knee deep in snow?
Many years ago there was a ‘byeline’ used by the post-office: ‘Post early for Christmas!’
I’d venture now to say ‘Order early for Christmas!’ – in fact in October I mentioned this right here.
As I write the telephone rings and a caller asks for a (specific) article – sadly it’s a bit ‘late’ for us to assist but we’ve put the caller onto the right track!
Internet Mail-Order, although around for many years now, does take a bit of getting used to!
High-Street shops?
These are great, as are local markets…sadly the costs, and trade volumes, are forcing traders to close. The byeline here is:
‘Use them or lose them.’
But we do understand that that is difficult while the black-hole of the public deficit has an ever-increasing cash requirement!

The Royal Mail (go on, I’ll give ’em capital letters!) will increase stamp prices by 5p for first class from next April. It’ll cost 46p then – they’re probably after getting first class up to a round 50p as soon as possible. But the quango concerned, postcomm, does things a bit at a time in order to have something to do itself.
I wouldn’t have a problem with any of this if there was real competition for the posting and delivery of letters. There isn’t, in real terms, so it’s all just another jobscheme. Pity really.
🙁